Vice Consul Consulate General of Japan Delivers Guest Lecture at USK

Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), in collaboration with the Consulate General of Japan in Medan, hosted a guest lecture on studying in Japan with scholarships. The event took place on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, at the USK Main Library. The guest speaker for the lecture was Mr. Asano Shunya, Vice Consul, Consulate General of Japan in Medan, accompanied by Information, Culture, and Education Staff, Utari.

The event was warmly welcomed by Dr. Muzailin Affan, M.Sc., Chairman of the International Affairs Office (OIA) of USK. In his opening remarks, he expressed gratitude for the visit to the campus to provide valuable insights about studying in Japan and available scholarships.

“This event aims to support students in studying abroad, particularly in Japan. By attending this event, students are already 50% closer to realizing their dream of studying in Japan. The remaining part depends on the students’ commitment, and here, the OIA will assist and guide them regarding studying in Japan,” said Dr. Muzailin.

He emphasized the importance for students to seize the moment and benefit from the guest lecture, encouraging them to be enthusiastic about studying in Japan, given the scholarships offered and the experiences shared by alumni who have studied in Japan.

Mr. Asano Shunya, fluent in Indonesian language, expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and the opportunity to deliver the guest lecture at USK. During his presentation, he briefly introduced Japanese culture and highlighted the recent educational cooperation between Indonesia and Japan.

“Currently, 888 Indonesian students are studying in Japan through student exchange programs with scholarships from the Japanese government, which is the highest number in the world. This number continues to grow and remains active,” stated Mr. Asano Shunya.

He hoped that this number would increase further and that more Indonesian students, especially from USK, would pursue their studies in Japan with scholarships.

Besides, Utari introduced one of the scholarship programs from the Japanese government, the Monbukagakusho/MEXT Scholarship. She provided an overview of the scholarship, universities, application guidelines, required documents, and other relevant information.

“Japan is recognized for its World Class Science & Technology attracting international students. Moreover, the conducive living environment and fascinating culture make studying in Japan even more appealing,” she said in her brief presentation.

Further information regarding scholarships and studying in Japan is available on this page: https://www.id.emb-japan.go.jp/sch.html.

After the guest lecture, the event continued with the launch of the book “Fukubukuro,” which shares inspiring stories of alumni who have completed their studies in Japan. The book was designed by PERSADA (Perhimpunan Alumni dari Jepang/Alumni Association from Japan) Aceh. The event also included the inauguration of the Japan Corner, located on the 3rd floor of the USK Main Library.

The event was attended by the Head of the Library & E-Learning Unit, Dr. Ismul Huda, M.Si., represented by Ir. Syafrizal, S.T., M.T., guests from PERSADA, and USK staff and students.